Abstract The objective of this study was to identify in Angus and Brangus breed animals with extreme temperament, measured as exit velocity, genomic regions and candidate genes associated with bovine temperament. The population was genotyped with the Genomic Profiler HD 150K chip and after the genome-wide association analysis, the SNPs rs133956611 (P=2.65 E-06) and rs81144933 (P=9.58 E-06) were associated with temperament. The mapping analysis of the regions close to the SNP rs81144933 identified the SNCA (alpha-synuclein) and MMRN1 (multimerin-1) genes at 222.8 and 435.9 Kb downstream respectively, while for the rs133956611 loci the gene GPRIN3 (GPRIN family-member-3) was identified at 245.7 Kb upstream, all three genes are located on the BTA6 chromosome. The analysis of SNCA protein-protein interactions allowed the identification of the genes APP (β-amyloid precursor protein), PARK7 (parkinsonism-associated-deglycase), UCHL1 (ubiquitin-C-terminal-hydrolase-L1), PARK2 (parkin-RBR- E3-ubiquitin-protein-ligase), and genes of the SLC family as candidates to be associated with bovine temperament. All these candidate genes and their interacting were resequenced, which allowed the discovery of new SNPs in the SNCA and APP genes. Of these, the SNPs located in introns 5, 8 and 11 of the APP gene affect splicing site motifs. These results indicate that SNCA and its interacting genes are candidates to be related to bovine temperament.

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar en animales de raza Angus y Brangus con temperamento extremo, medido como velocidad de salida, regiones genómicas y genes candidatos asociados con el temperamento bovino. La población fue genotipada con el chip Genomic Profiler HD 150K y después del análisis de asociación del genoma completo, los SNP rs133956611 (P= 2.65 E-06) y rs81144933 (P= 9.58 E-06) se asociaron con el temperamento. El análisis de mapeo de las regiones cercanas al SNP rs81144933 identificó los genes SNCA (alfa-sinucleína) y MMRN1 (multimerin-1) a 222.8 y 435.9 Kb corriente abajo, respectivamente, mientras que para los loci rs133956611 se identificó el gen GPRIN3 (familia GPRIN- miembro 3) a 245.7 Kb corriente arriba, los tres genes se encuentran en el cromosoma BTA6. El análisis de las interacciones proteína-proteína de SNCA permitió la identificación de los genes APP (proteína precursora de β-amiloide), PARK7 (deglicasa asociada al parkinsonismo), UCHL1 (ubiquitina C-terminal hidrolasa L1), PARK2 (parkina-RBR-E3-ubiquitina-proteína-ligasa), y genes de la familia SLC como candidatos a estar asociados con el temperamento bovino. Todos estos genes candidatos y su interacción fueron resecuenciados, lo que permitió el descubrimiento de nuevos SNP en los genes SNCA y APP. De estos, los SNP localizados en los intrones 5, 8 y 11 del gen APP afectan a los motivos del sitio de empalme. Estos resultados indican que el SNCA y sus genes interactuantes son candidatos para estar relacionados con el temperamento bovino.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of intronic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on temperament traits in a Brahman cattle population. The SNP located in CACNG4, EXOC4, NRXN3, and SLC9A4 candidate genes were genotyped in 250 animals with temperament records of exit velocity, pen score, and temperament score. Rs3423464051:G>A in the CACNG4 gene was associated with exit velocity and temperament score. An in silico analysis of the five intronic SNP showed that alternative alleles of CACNG4-rs3423464051, EXOC4-rs109393235, and SLC9A4-rs109722627 SNP could alter branch point sites during splicing, while a protein–protein interaction network analysis demonstrated a GRIA2 gene-mediated interaction between CACNG4 and NRXN3. The present results support previously reported evidence regarding bovine temperament-related candidate genes, particularly CACNG4, which is a confirmed candidate gene in need of more detailed analyses to reveal its role in temperament-related traits.

Abstract We investigated whether a panel of molecular markers previously associated with temperament has an effect on live growth traits. Phenotypic data from 412 Charolais cows categorized according to their age in adult and young cows were used to determine Pearson's correlations between birth (BW), weaning (WW), and yearling live (YW) weight and temperament traits (measured as exit velocity [EV] and temperament score [TS]). For association analysis, selective genotyping of a group of 80 cows identified as the most docile and temperamental were genotyped with a 151-SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) panel of molecular markers previously associated with temperament. Significant Pearson's correlations between birth weight and weaning weight and the two temperament measurements (EV and TS) were observed only in the young cow group. Significant effects of ten SNP on BW and WW were observed. Four markers located on candidate genes for temperament traits also had an effect on birth weight and weaning weight in Charolais cows, which indicates that both traits could be influenced by the same genes.